In Puerto Rico this week, there was a heated argument about public health and individual rights that escalated on Wednesday as lawmakers and medical professionals clashed.

In the beginning of this month, the administrator of Puerto Rico’s House of Representatives declared that face masks must be worn, due to several reported cases of COVID-19 in the Capitol building located by the sea.

Lisie Burgos, a conservative lawmaker, was expelled from a hearing last week for not wearing a mask. In response, she filed a lawsuit on Monday which is still pending. On the same day, a judge ruled that the House of Representatives cannot restrict or obstruct Burgos’ right to attend meetings while the lawsuit is ongoing.

The decision caused a lot of anger among people, as the island with a population of 3.2 million is currently experiencing 1,100 new cases of COVID-19 daily, and about 25% of tests are coming back positive. In November of last year, the Puerto Rican government also declared an epidemic for the flu.

Following the judge’s decision on Monday, the House of Representatives’ president declared a state of emergency and stated that all meetings would be conducted virtually until the end of February.

The Senate of Puerto Rico has stated that they are not contemplating any comparable actions.

During this week’s virtual meeting, delegates debated a potential legislation that would remove the mandatory vaccination requirement for children under the age of 5. This proposal added fuel to the already heated discussion surrounding health issues.

Medical professionals denounced the legislation on Wednesday.

Dr. Carlos Díaz Vélez, president of the Association of Surgeons in Puerto Rico, stated that this legislation essentially involves the state in a movement that goes against scientific evidence and is driven by ideology, which has been growing in popularity and has been referred to as a new era of ignorance.

Additional physicians provided testimony regarding the safety and necessity of vaccines. Waleska Crespo, who serves as the president of an organization representing private high schools and universities, reiterated their worries.

She stated that it is primarily the responsibility of the government to safeguard the basic right to health.

Burgos, a member of a small conservative party, along with four other legislators from Puerto Rico’s two largest political parties, introduced a bill that proposes exempting parents or legal guardians who have religious or personal objections to vaccinations.

Carlos Pérez Toro, a Catholic priest, showed support for the bill and delivered a speech during the hearing on Wednesday.

He stated that the failure to inform parents, who are responsible for their children’s health, resulted in government mandates for vaccinations that were not always justified by the need to protect the school community from infectious illnesses.

The discussions about the bill are still ongoing, with a number of lawmakers pledging to oppose its approval and the pending legal case brought by Burgos against the mandatory use of face masks.